Man must not leave by bread alone

Man must not leave by bread alone

By REV. FR. SAMUEL FREDERICK

Deut. 26:4-10, Rom. 10:8-13, Lk. 4:1-13. This First Sunday of Lent is a time to reflect on how we can struggle against temptation and evil in our lives. Lent is a time to struggle with whatever that pulls us off from the path of the Lord. The first reading begins with an account of how God delivered Israel from bondage in the land of Egypt. Hence, it reminds us of our own salvific journey. Today's second reading presents another dimension to this journey towards salvation. It presents faith as a necessary tool which must be manifested through our confessions. Without faith, it will be practically impossible to reach our destination. In this case, faith is the energy that motivates us as we march on.

This season of Lent, if we become weary along this journey, turning to Jesus is the best option available to us. If we call upon Him in faith, we shall find the strength to overcome temptation. The temptations of Christ in the desert as recorded in today's Gospel are similar to the temptation we encounter daily: the urge to live by our desires and needs rather than by the Word of God, the presumption that God will save us even if we do nothing and the temptation to want power and dominion over others. These are connected to the seven major sins identified by early Christians:  pride, anger, lust, greed, envy, gluttony and spiritual laziness. The devil cannot overcome us, if we do not open avenues for Him in our lives. So, Peter warns us: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pt. 5:8).

May Christ our hope and courage, sustain us throughout this week and fight for us against our weakness! Amen!!! Good morning and happy Sunday!!!

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